The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-10


"You might aB we'll suppose the mill
tary organizatiphs of Europe were for
play and parade Jas to suppose labor Or
ganizations were: for mere insurance
and pacific heIpfulness. They are or
ganized to project interests for which,
if the time CONES, they would fight"
Companies wee raised in Chicago, un-
der the auspices Of the Internationals,
with which association the late anarch-
ist leaders wer& connected. They were
getting ready, when the opportune mo-
ment came, to rise and murder the
police and plunder the wealthy men of
the city. They attended to take advan-
tage of some discontent or strike among
workmen- when the city would be full
of idle and discbntented men-to enact
the tragedy they were planning. The
attempt was made, with what result
the world already knows.
do not understand why city author
tiles, when they are cognizant of these
organizations shd their avowed pur-
pose, allow them to spring up and ex-
ist. Such organizations are just as
reasonable as was the Southern Con-
federacy. "The stars and stripes"
they say, "are At only for prison suits
for officials; much better the red flag
of universal brotherhood" If the men
who wore gray, &nd took up arms against
the Union wefe traitors, know not
why less definite term should be ap-
piled to any on8else who seeks, in any
violent way, theoverthrow of this gov
ernment. Afte* the fatal bomb-throw-
ing at Chicago md it's tragic outcome
that Friday, let hope that the forming
of armed band for the purpose of re-
ducing society b chaos will receive in
the future somF Encouragement from
the proper authorities. Let those au-
thorities not be'held guiltless. A city
government moi8 jealous for the secur-
ity of the citi1pns than their votes,
could effectuall& prevent armed and Or
anized anarcHf When this is not
done, mayor, o41ncil, and police, de-
serve to be clae6td with the open often
ders. Let US hspe that advice to work
men to arm thenselves for vengeance
upon their emp yers will not hereafter
be treated with otal indifference that
the glori6catio3 of dynamite will no
longer be heard Ia silence. Whatever
changes are ne66sa II this country can
be effected by peaceable means. We
are not obliged to resort to the extrem-
| ity of one of Bulwer's characters.
"Opinion was to be free as air, and in
order to make it 80, it was necessary to
exterminate all those whose opinions
were not the same as M. Jean Nieot's. !"
Too much of this we have had. The
severity of the laws sentence in cases
of recent date, gives no warrant to be-
lieve that its sentence will be m ore leni-
ent in the future.
But suppose the means advocated
prove effectual, then what ? We have
no definite idea given Of that which lies
beyond the coming chaos. We are as
sured that all men will be free and
happy, but how do we kno W this? How
do we know that they will not all be
poor and wretched ? Because there
will be no capitalists to oppress the
poor and make them work for wages ?
Is that the idea? But, my reformer,
more serious question for you and
one to which the workingman you seek
to ensnare ought to demand an answer,
is, "Will there be anything that cores
ponds with capital at all ? Will there
be anything 2' Reduce all things to
chaos, are you sure that within you lies
the power to breathe over the formless
void spirit that will evoke the order
and beauty of which you dream Are
there no other causes Of poverty than
the expressions of capital ? Are not
intemperance and profligacy and impru-
dence and lack Of skill, also causes of
poverty? viii these be banished T?
Who will stand upon your borders wav
ing wand of enchantment to keep this
crowd of specters from invading ?
The elysium from which they may be
excluded is not upon this earth.
But are you sure that the sams OBJ
| jectionabls class distinctions may not
arise in your new society? That society
will at first be simply return-not an
advance, but return to the commun-
ism of barbarous and savage tribes.
This was, indeed, the sentimental dream
of Rousseau, to which Voltaire gave
answer: "We must return to the woods
and go down upon all fours." If new
start is to be taken from that point,
what assurance is there that in process
of tims the evils of to-day will not be
born again
But we are told that there will be a
difference; that in the new regime all
men will be educated and upright. How
do you know2 And how is it proposed
to make them intelligent and virtuousp
By what processes of education? viii
there be mental or moral forces that
now we do not have9 What new phil.
osophy or religion will shed its light
and exert its ennobling influence? If
any of these apostles know, let them